Facilitation Skills :Facilitation Skills


What is a facilitator? :What is a facilitator? Literally means: ‘making things easy’ A person who helps a group or team to: achieve results in interactive events by using a range of skills and methods to bring the best out in people as they work together focuses on the process of how


What a facilitator is NOT :What a facilitator is NOT participant in the team team leader team organiser/administrator, negotiator on the team’s behalf, servant who simply does the bidding of the team expert trainer


Role: Conductor :Role: Conductor


Role: Impartial Helper :Role: Impartial Helper belonging to no political coalition within an organisation being seen as having no stake in the outcomes


Facilitator’s Role: Overview :Facilitator’s Role: Overview cope with uncertainty use power of credibility to help address issues be calm in times of emotion support and counsel others be understandable mobilise energy surface difficult issues and help others to do so take themselves less seriously empathise


Group processes:intervening :Group processes:intervening model appropriate behaviour ensure involvement enable understanding keep a task-related focus push for action outcomes manage time ensure that a record is created


Interpersonal Skills/Basic Facilitation Skills :Interpersonal Skills/Basic Facilitation Skills listening questioning language & communication using feedback conflict handling


Ten Commandments of Effective Listening :Ten Commandments of Effective Listening 1. Stop talking 2. Put your people at ease 3. Show you want to listen 4. Remove distractions 5. Empathise 6. Have patience 7. Hold your temper 8. Don’t argue or criticise 9. Ask questions 10. STOP TALKING


Questioning :Questioning Use O P E N to probe: “Who, why, what, when, how?” Use CLOSED (yes/no answers) to redirect/ summarise: “Are you saying that…?”


Questioning :Questioning Use YOU questions How do you see this? What are your priorities? How important is ...... to you? Tell me more about ......? What if.......Why........How......?


Using Feedback :Using Feedback Help participants to think through these questions: 1. What did you do well? 2. What could you have done even better? 3. What prevented you from doing even better; what’s the plan to do even better in the future?


Conflict Handling :Conflict Handling identify points of agreement reformulate contributions to highlight common ideas encourage people to build on others’ ideas test for false consensus test consensus for relevance/motivation


The Facilitraining Rainbow :The Facilitraining Rainbow 1. How much interaction does the facilitator have with participants? 2. How much does the facilitator contribute to the content/outcome of the session?


The Facilitraining Rainbow :The Facilitraining Rainbow process monitoring brainstorming facilitating discussion Socratic direction teaching demonstrating presenting HIGH LOW HIGH Contribution to Content I n t e r a c t I o n


Cross-Cultural Dynamics :Cross-Cultural Dynamics Variable language skills Recognition of cultural differences without reinforcing stereotypes Different cultural norms about politeness and communication style ie interruption & argumentativeness Awareness of perceived status differences between cultures Loyalty towards one’s own cultural group


Code of Cross-Cultural Conduct :Code of Cross-Cultural Conduct We appreciate & enjoy cultural diversity We accept that our own perceptions are coloured by our own upbringing/culture We empathise with other’s view We are open-minded and we don’t stereotype other nationals We openly discuss how our different cultural backgrounds may be influencing an issue


Code of Cross-Cultural Conduct :Code of Cross-Cultural Conduct We recognise and accept that physical contact differs across cultures We recognise that language is a barrier and make allowances without being patronising We always double-check understanding We plan our communication to eliminate the negative and accentuate the positive We communicate in a clear, direct, honest and open way


Helpful Attitudes & Values :Helpful Attitudes & Values My mind-set won’t help them Everybody is human, unique with potential It’s OK to teach No one best way People never argue with their own data Facilitators can’t win arguments Silence is OK Don’t push the river


Good Facilitation Brings :Good Facilitation Brings Co-operation Results